


It's a Damn Cold Night

by myladyriver



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2018-02-08 08:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1933914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myladyriver/pseuds/myladyriver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Things are getting desperate. They’re calling us in, Bella.” Bellatrix couldn’t even bring herself to be angry; her partner just sounded so tired.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Avril Lavigne's "I'm With You."

One night, Bellatrix awoke abruptly around two in the morning, unsure at first of what had cause her sudden, complete return to consciousness. She laid still for a moment, eyes still closed, listening to the room. It was then that she heard Hermione’s muffled sobbing, the heartbreaking sound making Bella’s chest ache. Dealing with emotions were still relatively new to Bellatrix, let alone talking about them. She had no idea what to do, and started to panic, entirely bewildered. _Come on, Bella. Think. She’s crying...Maybe she had a nightmare? Or maybe she’s upset about something you did...Shit. Just comfort her, you dunce,_ she commanded herself.

Bellatrix shifted, rolling over in bed to shape her small body to Hermione’s. The younger woman jumped, startled by her lover’s touch, but she didn’t pull away. _That’s a good sign,_ Bellatrix thought to herself hopefully. Still uncertain about what to do and doubting herself, Bella clumsily stroked Hermione’s head. Her bony fingers ran through soft, fawn-colored hair as she wrapped her other arm around Hermione, draping her arm over the girl’s waist. Bellatrix didn’t speak, not trusting herself to say the right thing. Instead, she simply held her crying inamorata for the remainder of the night. As the star strewn, inky night sky gave way to the gentle dawn, Bellatrix stilled her soothing caresses and Hermione’s wrenching sobs quieted. When at last the brilliant sun peered over the horizon, it was to find both women sleeping peacefully once again, the elder witch curled around her young love.

 

By the time Bellatrix caught up with Hermione the next day, it was late afternoon and the younger woman was curled up in her favorite chair in the library. She was paging through _Hogwarts: A History_. _Dammit_ , Bella thought. _That’s never a good sign._ Bellatrix padded quietly over to her, and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the chair.

“Hermione,” the older witch said softly, running her hand up Hermione’s sweatpants-clad leg.

“Hmm?” the girl prompted, looking up from her book, her warm brown eyes weary and anxious.

“I want to understand what happened last night, love,” Bella stated, woking to keep her voice quiet and her tone questioning. Hermione passed a hand over her face before setting the book down on the coffee table beside the chair. “I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. Yes, more than usual. And when I reach that level of constant anxiety, I lose sleep and become incredibly emotional. You should’ve seen me during O.W.L.s,” Hermione started to explain, rolling her eyes. While Bella waited for her to continue, she shifted so that she was leaning against the chair, resting her head against Hermione’s legs. “You remember a few months ago when I spoke to Harry about you? Things are getting desperate. They’re calling us in, Bella.” Bellatrix couldn’t even bring herself to be angry; her partner just sounded so tired.

“The school?” she asked several minutes later.

“Yes. McGonagall wrote me and Harry passed on the letter. She says that with Dumbledore gone, it’s getting more difficult to hold the castle. There are so few professors left, the enchantments are weakening. Magic as...advanced and potent as ours would make a significant difference.”

“When?” Bella sighed.

“I don’t-- I don’t want to force you to declare yourself, love. We’d be safer at Hogwarts than nearly anywhere else, but everything would change for you, and I can’t-- I can’t make you choose, even now.” “Oh, sweetling, the time for choosing has come and gone,” Bellatrix laughed hollowly.

“I’m not leading a parade for the virtuous, and if I fight, it’ll be for us and no one else, but I am no longer truly one of His. There’s only so long I can keep that façade up before someone figures it out. You’re going to aid the school with or without me -- don’t give me that look, of course you will -- and I am with you.”


	2. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “C’mon, Bella,” she said softly, and when she revolved to face the two boys again, Bellatrix was at her side.  
>  “Hello,” Bella nodded curtly, her dark eyes flickering between her partner, Harry, and Ron.

“Harry, Ron?” Hermione greeted, stepping cautiously into the common room of the quarters she and Bellatrix were sharing with Ron and Harry. It was essentially like the Gryffindor dormitory, but smaller and set aside for the four of them. Harry and Ron had the boys rooms to themselves, and Bella and Hermione occupied the girls side.  
“Hermione!” Harry grinned, getting up from the sofa to pull Hermione into a warm hug. “I didn’t hear you come in last night.”  
“We got in late,” Hermione admitted. “It was quite a hassle to go incognito, what with having to travel with minimal traceable magic. Bella wasn’t exactly thrilled at having to go muggle.” Harry nodded sympathetically, smiling a bit at the imagery that provided.  
“Hermione,” Ron said when Hermione turned to face him, smiling uncertainly. While he understood that he had to coexist with Bellatrix, he’d had a much harder time accepting the fact that she and Hermione were together than Harry had, and was a great deal farther from being comfortable with her presence in Hogwarts.  
“Ron,” Hermione returned cautiously, reaching out to hug him. He flinched back, though he had the decency to look a bit guilty about his reaction. He awkwardly offered her his hand, which Hermione shook, a small frown creasing her brow.  
“It’s good to see you, Ronald,” she said quietly.  
“Right. Yeah.” Hermione glanced nervously over at Harry, who shrugged apologetically.  
“Erm, anyway. Bella and I have to go meet with McGonagall; we should be back in an hour or two,” she informed them, gauging their reactions. Harry shifted slightly but was otherwise unaffected, whereas Ron’s eyes darted to the stone staircase behind Hermione, taking a few steps back. Hermione turned the corner and took the first step up the stairs, stretching out her hand.  
“C’mon, Bella,” she said softly, and when she revolved to face the two boys again, Bellatrix was at her side.  
“Hello,” Bella nodded curtly, her dark eyes flickering between her partner, Harry, and Ron.   
“Hello, Bellatrix,” Harry replied politely, managing a small smile. He studied her discreetly, noticing the subtle -- and some not so subtle -- changes in her since the last time they had met, which had been on the battlefield, so to speak. When her face wasn’t contorted with maniacal laughter, she actually appears quite human, he noted. She’s certainly a striking woman, dark and beautiful in her own way, he mused. She seems...softer somehow. And the way she keeps looking at Hermione, like she’s protective of her...Harry shook his head slightly to clear it, and re-focused his gaze on Hermione. Ron remained quiet.  
“Actually, give me just a moment to grab something, I forgot...McGonagall asked me bring her a few things,” Hermione said, interrupting the strained silence.  
“I’ll give you a hand,” Harry offered, wanting a moment with his sister/best friend outside of the charged atmosphere their other best friend was making even more stressful than it already was. Hermione nodded, and they disappeared up the stairs, leaving the other two alone in the common room.  
“So you’re on our side, now?” Ron asked, his voice carrying a slight challenge. Though he was taller than she was, Bellatrix somehow managed to look down at him.   
“No,” she drawled, her voice almost threateningly low. “I am on her side. Give her any more hell about it, Ginger, and I’ll make you regret ever having been born,” Bellatrix growled, her lips at the terrified boy’s ear. “Are we clear?” she hissed. Ron nodded hurriedly, his brain scrambling to catch up with what was going on.  
“Yes, very clear,” he assured the older witch earnestly.  
“Good,” Bellatrix replied shortly, putting space between Ron and herself as Hermione entered the room.  
“Ready to go, love?” Hermione queried, glancing up to catch Bella’s eye. The dark witch smiled easily, and moved to meet Hermione at the door.  
“Of course,” she answered, smiling slightly.


End file.
